Biréli Lagrène (born September 4, 1966) is a French guitarist and bassist. He came to prominence in the 1980s for his Django Reinhardt-influenced style on the classical guitar, as well as for being a jazz fusion virtuoso on the electric guitar. He often performs within the swing, jazz fusion and post bop mediums.
Biréli Lagrène was born on September 4, 1966, in Soufflenheim, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France, in a traditional Manouche-Romani people (Gypsy) family and community. He started playing the guitar at the age of four. He grew up in the loving but tough environment of the "tzigane". His father Fisso (a very gifted violinist), his mother Berga and his brother Gaiti were his biggest influences.
Django Reinhardt
When, at the age of eight, he covered Django Reinhardt’s repertoire, his relatives were already calling him a child prodigy. Winning a Romani music festival in Strasbourg at the age of twelve gave him the opportunity to tour in Germany and, later, to record his performance on the LP Routes To Django - live At The Krokodil.
Offered a chance to leave for the 
Al Di Meola Larry Coryell
Back to a more traditional style, Lagrène recorded Gipsy Project and Gipsy Project and Friends in 2002. Along with his usual cohorts Diego Imbert (double bass) and Hono Winterstein (rhythm guitar), the latter session featured Henri Salvador and Thomas Dutronc (son of legendary French pop pair Françoise Hardy and Jacques Dutronc).
What a group of professional jazz artists that surrounded Biréli Lagrène as his career unfolded. He couldn’t have been surrounded by any better jazz guitarists in the business. When I first heard one of his songs, it just blew me away. I strongly suggest that you pick-up one of his albums and give it a listen; I’m sure it’ll do the same for you as well.
If you have an appreciation for jazz, jazz fusion or jazz swing, you’ve got to check him out. I’m trying to incorporate some of his guitar licks into my guitar playing where possible, but it isn’t easy, let me tell you. During my time off recuperating from the surgery, I am practicing as much as possible in an effort to incorporate as many different guitar styles in order to improve on my own and to develop a more broadened approach to the guitar fingerboard than I’ve had in the past.
Christmas is officially over with, however, we are still waiting to celebrate with our sons and their families. Chris, (son in law)Dave and their son Eli will be here tomorrow and (son) Dave and his girlfriend Angelica will be here on Thursday, so we have a few busy days ahead of us, which will be fun and exciting. We hope that you and your families had a very Merry Christmas and have plans underway for a Happy Healthy New Year !!
Until next time ~
Musician By Night . . .
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